30 Landmark Judgements in India _ Cover Story - India Today

9/5/2014 30 landmark judgements in India : Cover Story - India Today

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Archive Cover Story July 3, 2006

Courtroom Drama

Courtroom drama30 landmark judgements in India July 3, 2006 | UPDATED 12:23 IST

Landmark judicial decisions changed the Constitution as well as everyday life.

Their impact still echoes.

Champakam Dorairajan Vs State of Madras 1951

Well before Arjun Singh, this case concerning admissions of backward classes to

educational institutions led B.R. Ambedkar, then the law minister, to pilot the

first-ever amendment to the Constitution.

K.M. Nanavati Vs State of Maharashtra 1960

The crime of passion, where Commander Kawas Maneckshaw Nanavati murdered

his wife's lover, marked the end of jury trials in India when the officer was let off.

Golaknath Vs State of Punjab 1967

The Supreme Court made fundamental rights immune from amendment until

Parliament reasserted its authority in 1971 by amending Articles 13 and 368 of the

Constitution.

Madhav Jiwaji Rao Scindia Vs Union of India 1970

The Supreme Court rejected a 1970 presidential order abolishing titles, privileges

and privy purses of India's erstwhile princely rulers.

Kesavananda Bharati Vs State of Kerala 1973

In 1971, Parliament empowered itself to amend any part of the Constitution.

However, the Supreme Court laid down that such amendments could not destroy

the 'basic structure' of the Constitution-fundamental rights are part of the 'basic

structure'.

Himmat Lal Shah Vs Commissioner of Police 1973

It dealt with a common citizen's right to hold public meetings on streets and the

extent to which the state could regulate this right.

Indira Gandhi Vs Raj Narain 1975

Indira Gandhi declared Emergency after being ordered by the

Allahabad High Court to vacate her seat for malpractice. The

Supreme Court later overturned the decision.

A.D.M. Jabalpur Vs S. Shukla 1976

The Supreme Court declared the right to move court under

Articles 14, 21 and 22 would remain suspended during the

Emergency.

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Courtroom Judgment

Maneka Gandhi Vs Union of India 1978

The case caused a huge uproar over the definition of freedom of speech.The court

ruled that the procedure must be fair and the law must not violate other

fundamental rights.

Minerva Mills Vs Union of India 1980

The Supreme Court again applied the 'basic structure' theory, saying that social

welfare laws could not curb fundamental rights.

Ramesh Dalal Vs Union of India 1988

The case dealt with the subject of pre-Partition communal violence, and how its

depiction was not in violation of Constitutional articles.

Rajan Case 1981

Involving the torture and death of a final year engineering student in custody in

Kerala, the case led to the resignation of K. Karunakaran, then the home minister,

and imprisonment of the officers accused.

Kehar Singh Vs Delhi Administration 1984

Kehar Singh was accused of taking part in the murder of Indira Gandhi. Though

the death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court, its accuracy has often been

questioned.

Babri Masjid, Ayodhya Case 1994

The case questioned the Constitutional validity of the acquisition of a certain area

adjoining the disputed site. The Supreme Court upheld status quo on the disputed

structures.

Best Bakery Case 2006

The controversial trial came to an end with the conviction of nine people. The case

related to 14 deaths in an arson attack on the Best Bakery in Vadodara in 2002. A

retrial was ordered in 2004 after a local court acquitted all 21 accused.

Shah Bano Case 1985

The case, related to the issue of Muslim personal law, caused a furore as the court

awarded Shah Bano a maintenance allowance after divorce.

Indira Sawhney Vs Union of India 1992

The Supreme Court upheld the implementation of

recommendations made by the Mandal Commission. It also

defined the "creamy layer" criteria and reiterated that the

quota could not exceed 50 per cent.

St. Stephen's College Vs University of Delhi 1992

The identity of St. Stephen's College as a minority-run

institution was put under the scanner as it was receiving

grant-in-aid from the Government. The court ruled that grants could not change

the minority character of an institution.

S.R. Bommai Vs Union of India 1994

The case laid down the guidelines in proving a majority under Article 356. The

recent Arjun Munda case judgement was also passed with reference to the

Bommai case.

R. Rajagopal Vs State of Tamil Nadu 1994

The case decided that the right to privacy subsisted even if a matter became one of

public record. The right to be let alone is part of personal liberty.

P.A. Inamdar Vs State of Maharashtra 2005

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The Supreme Court stated that "neither the policy of reservation can be enforced

by the state nor any quota of admissions be carved out in private educational

institutions".

Sarla Mudgal Vs Union of India 1995

The Supreme Court held that a second marriage solemnised while the first existed

was a punishable offence, though it did not become null and void.

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Vs Union of India 1995

The association was banned for unlawful activities. But the decision was reversed

due to lack of evidence.

Ministry of I&B Vs Cricket Association of Bengal 1995

The case, which dealt with the broadcast of the Hero Cup, was the first tussle

involving the telecast of an international event by a private broadcaster.

Vishaka Vs State of Rajasthan 1997

For the first time, sexual harassment, including sexually coloured remarks and

physical contact, was explicitly and legally defined as an unwelcome sexual

gesture. It stated that every instance of sexual harassment is a violation of

fundamental rights.

Samatha Vs State of AP 1997

The Supreme Court said government land, tribal land, and forest land in

scheduled areas could not be leased to non-tribals or private companies for

mining or industrial operations. Such activity can only be done by tribal people or

by a government undertaking.

Rupan Deol Bajaj Vs K. P. S. Gill 1998

K.P.S. Gill, former chief of Punjab Police, was fined Rs.2.5 lakh in lieu of three

months' rigorous imprisonment for slapping senior IAS officer Rupan Deol Bajaj

on the posterior.

Representation of the People (Amendment) Act 2002

The judgement of a three-member Bench ordered candidates contesting elections

to declare their assets and all criminal cases pending against them at the time of

filing of nominations.

Tamil Nadu Vs Suhas Katti 2004

The first case involving conviction under the Information Technology Act, 2000,

related to the posting of obscene messages on the Internet.

Om Prakash Vs Dil Bahar 2006

In a severe deterrent to incidents of rape, the Supreme Court held that a rape

accused could be convicted on the sole evidence of the victim, even if medical

evidence did not prove rape.

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Posted by: r.c. Vivek

March 7, 2014

Thanking you for good information


Posted by: MITHILESH K

October 20, 2013

Thank you for this wonderful info.


Posted by: Basant Golani

June 24, 2013

All these Judgments are very useful as i have read some judgment during my exam

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30 Landmark Judgements in India _ Cover Story - India Today